Abstract
The temporary supports erection method is a fast and economical way of building cable-stayed bridges. In this method the bridge deck is first erected on a set of temporary and permanent supports and then, the stays are successively placed and tensioned according to a predefined tensioning sequence. A proper definition and analysis of this sequence is very complex as the structure is highly statically indeterminate, exhibits a nonlinear behaviour and has a changing static scheme.
Most of the simulation procedures in the literature are based on the alternative erection technique, the cantilever erection method. In order to fill this gap, different algorithms specifically designed for the temporary supports erection method are presented. After summarizing the main assumptions and advantages of each of these algorithms, their results are compared with those obtained by commercial programs. As a result, this work leads to a better understanding of the simulation of the construction process of cable-stayed bridges.